Lost Opportunity

With so many dogs now, I guess we're going to have to pass on offering a new home to a soon-to-be-homeless hippo at the Washington zoo. They're making way for new elephant quarters.

But it's not easy finding a home for a 7,000-pound adult male Nile hippo. Happy, who was born at the zoo 27 years ago, needs lots of clean water, for an array of reasons that include his indoor and outdoor pools, where he spends much of his time submerged.

He also needs his own room, so to speak. Male hippos are extremely territorial, and will attack other hippos, or people, that intrude in their space.

Admittedly, he's not even a pygmy hippo. And he might flatten a miniature dachshund.